Klay Thompson will start NBA Finals Game 4, says Warriors' Steve Kerr, but Kevin Durant isn't ready

OAKLAND, Calif. – When the NBA Finals began, the Warriors were prohibitive favorites to three-peat as NBA champions, but they trail the Raptors 2-1 going into Game 4 of the NBA Finals Friday night at Oracle Arena. While the return to the lineup of Klay Thompson dramatically improves their situation, two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant remains out with a calf injury.

Following practice on Thursday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who sat out Thompson from their Game 3 loss because of left hamstring tightness, said Thompson will start Game 4 and will have no playing time restriction. Kerr previously hinted Durant was getting close, but said, “He’s not ready to play in a game yet.”

Kerr has said Durant must scrimmage before returning to action, and he’s still holding out hope for Game 5 Monday in Toronto. “I was hoping today would be the day he got out on the floor,” Kerr said. “It’s going to be probably [Friday], the following day, the next couple of days. The hope would be that he could still make it back at the end of the series…but he still has another hurdle to clear before he can do that.”

Without the production of Durant and Thompson, Steph Curry was forced to carry the Warriors’ offense in Game 3, which he did with a playoff career-high 47 points. But the Warriors shot only 39.6 percent from the field, and they broke down defensively as six Raptors scored in double figures, including a 17-for-38 performance from three-point range.

The return of Thompson figures to help in both areas because he is a great perimeter defender as well as a top-notch three-point shooter. Sitting out Game 3 ended Thompson’s streak of 120 straight playoff appearances, but he said he feels better after cold tub and acupuncture treatments.

“My body feels really good, and the extra night of rest really helped,” Thompson said. “Being down 2-1 is not the end of the world. We can rely on our experience, and we’re getting guys back.”

Reminded that he is the only Warrior coming off the injury list and of the uncertainty surrounding Durant, Thompson acknowledged the odds have shifted against the Warriors. The record for the winner of Game 3 in a 1-1 series going on to win the title is 31-7, and the Raptors need two more wins to add to that dominance.

“Well, it would suck if Kevin can’t come back,” Thompson said. “I still think we would have a good chance to win the Finals, but obviously, that takes a huge hit. I don’t think it would make us the clear-cut favorite anymore without him. This [Raptors] team is very good.”

The Warriors allowed the Raptors to shoot 52.4 percent in Game 3 and yielded two 36-point quarters, trailing by 17 points in the fourth quarter. Draymond Green said Thompson’s return is important, but he lamented that, not only Durant is out, but also Kevon Looney is out for the series with a fractured collarbone.

“When you talk about missing Klay, Kevin and Kevon, everything will point to the offensive end, but they’re three of our top five or six defenders,” Green said. “That’s equally or even more important than the offensive side of the ball. Adding Klay back to the fold is always going to make a difference the way Klay pressures the ball, the way he flies around the defensive end.”

Thompson knows he must make an impact containing Raptors guards Kyle Lowry and Danny Green, who combined to make 11 of 19 three-point shots in Game 3. “They looked comfortable,” Thompson said. “They were playing in great rhythm. It makes you mad. You want to go out there and stop them. I’ll try to do that tomorrow.”

By Greg Logan

Gregory.Logan@newsday.comGregLogan1

Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.